to grant pardon for a wrongdoing; to give up resentment and the desire to seek revenge against a wrongdoer

making up and rebuilding relationships between two groups/sides after disagreement

an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing through dialogue and understanding

Different religious views about forgiveness

Religious education

Good and evil intentions

Reasons for crime: poverty and upbringing

Reasons for crime: mental illness and addiction

Reasons for crime: greed and hate

Opposition to an unjust law

Views about people who commit crime

Views about different types of crime

The aims of punishment

The treatment of criminals: prison and community service

The treatment of criminals: corporal punishment

Different religious views about corporal punishment

The concept of forgiveness

Ethical arguments relating to the death penalty

Different religious views about the death penalty

In this unit pupils will study ideas of crime and how people may view crime is caused. From that, they will examine different ideas of punishing crime and treating criminals focussing especially on a case study of the death penalty and ideas of forgiveness.

Religion, crime and punishment

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

repairing harm by talking and making amends

What is one way restorative justice can happen?

How many times did Jesus say one should forgive?

supporting forgiveness and rebuilding lives

punishment that gives a deserved consequence

punishment that aims to change the offender

discouraging others from committing crimes

What is the role of conscience in moral decision-making?

What does community service usually involve?

Christians should act against unjust laws

What does Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s story teach us about Christian beliefs?

false – prisons are only for punishment

false – some prisoners get worse without support

True or false? Prison always helps people change for the better.

Different religious views about forgiveness

Lesson outcome

Content guidance